Former Republican Rep. Denyc Boles was unanimously selected Wednesday to fill the vacant District 19 seat in the Oregon House of Representatives by the Marion County Board of Commissioners.

Boles will serve the remainder of former Rep. Jodi Hack's term and has already filed to run for re-election in November.

"I'm excited to be an advocate for my community, to let them know that they have someone accessible to help, maybe, get their belief back in government," Boles said.

Boles highlighted a handful of issues she will focus on going into the 2018 short legislative session, which begins Feb. 5, including: lacking mental health care, high adolescent suicide rates and a poor public education system.

In response to questions from the three commissioners, she said that District 19 residents have told her of their concerns regarding public safety, homelessness and high cost of living.

Each of the three candidates interviewed at the public meeting Wednesday were against this legislation. The other two candidates were Dr. Satyanarayana Chandragiri, a local psychiatrist who focused on the importance of mental health care, and Michael Hunter, who said he wanted to represent District 19 to jump start a plan to reverse a Supreme Court redistricting decision that would result in more Republicans in the Senate.

Hunter has already filed to run for the seat this year, Chandragiri said he will do the same on Jan. 31.

Boles had, by far, the most local political experience of the three candidates, and as such has a personal relationship with all three commissioners.

Boles represented District 19 for the latter half of 2014, replacing Kevin Cameron, who left mid-term to accept an appointment as a Marion County commissioner, where he remains. Boles was also Cameron's chief of staff for nine years while he was in the House.

Commissioner Janet Carlson, who also worked with Boles' mother in local politics, encouraged Boles to be more self-promoting and made a point of reading off some of Boles' previously unmentioned accolades while explaining her vote.

"You did a good job then and I know you'll do a good job in the future," Brentano said to Boles while announcing his vote.

District 19's former representative Hack resigned on the last day of 2017 to accept a role as the CEO of the Oregon Home Builders Association, an advocacy and lobbying group.

She served one full term, winning an election in 2014 after Boles decided not to run, and another in 2016.

Hack and Boles are friends, and Boles said previously that Hack encouraged her to seek the position.

Boles works at Salem Health dealing with legislative affairs, having grown up in the Salem area and attending Sprague High School. She attended Seattle Pacific University, but came back afterward and has worked in the Salem area for more than 20 years.

"I was fortunate to have the opportunity to serve with Denyc in her first term in office and look forward to working alongside her again," House Republican Leader Mike McLane, R-Powell Butte, said in a statement after the vote. "She is a tenacious advocate for her community and someone who brings a wealth of experience and expertise to the Capitol."